Worker Biometric Screening.

Biometric screenings are important programs to identify chronic condition in their early stages. Once identified, wellness intervention programs can help prevent a disease from progressing.

Working with local hospitals and other organizations, you are able to obtain information on providing screening and intervention programs that could improve your employees’ health and save your business money in absenteeism, treatment for disease complications, and lowered productivity.

Below are some ideas to help get you started.

Based on your Staff Member Needs and Interest Survey and the demographics of your workplace, consider offering periodic screenings to find specific health risks such as –

• Blood Pressure Checks to identify employees with pre-hypertension or hypertension (high blood pressure),

• Cholesterol Screenings for total, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and/or Triglycerides

• Blood Sugar Screenings fasting or non-fasting to screen for possible diabetes,

• Body composition, like Body Mass Index (BMI)  or body fat measures

• Bone density for potential risk of osteoporosis,

• Cancer screenings such as, skin analysiss, mammograms, or PSA screenings,

• Vision checks for glaucoma, or visual acuity

• Other screenings depending on your employee population and needs

Your local hospital, business physician practice, or health department my provide assistance. However, if you’ve a young workforce you might want to concentrate on programs that will keep them healthy rather than screening for early identification of chronic illness.

The focus of your wellness program may  be healthful lifestyle practices to reduce risk and prevent disease.

In addition to the medical screenings, consider offering a Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} to all staff members. the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal} will help to identify factors that may lead to additional risks, such as smoking history, stress levels, perception of health, family history, job satisfaction, support systems, and mental health.

Often the screening results are included on the Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}, which provides a more robust snap shot of health risks. the summary results provide the important information to plan appropriate interventions.

Wellness Program Interventions

The key to the success of screenings and Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s / Health Risk (Assessment|Appraisal}s is the interventions or follow-up programs. the information from the screenings increases awareness and often arouses staff members to consider making healthier changes.

It’s the follow up interventions that provide the essential support and assistance needed for employees to actually make and maintain those changes.

The interventions can include individual follow-up and ongoing counseling, individual or group health coaching on the risk factors, behavior change programs, and/or organizational support. Examples include –

• Strategies to lower blood pressure

• Managing diabetes

• Taking care of your heart

• Healthful eating

• Weight loss strategies

• Increasing exercise

• Tobacco use Cessation

Of course, this is for individual information only. Any follow-up interventions planned by the corporation would be based on interest expressed by the worker.

Based on the results and your Wellness Committee objectives you can plan the best strategies for your company and workers. Consider the community resources available to provide services, like health associations, hospitals, health care providers, and/or public health agencies.

The Quick Wellness Program Ideas provides Quick program idea tips for your consideration. Also refer to Prevention Strategies to determine the best approach for your company based on the wellness budget in order to reach the desired outcomes and goals established.